Breakfast with Shannon Smith-Crowley

1. Breakfast with Shannon Smith-Crowley AAUW California Legislative Advocate AAUW California Public Policy Update

2. Public Policy Committee Sue Miller, Vice President and Public Policy Director Members • Karen Jackle • Gloria Leonard • Nancy Mahr • Norma Maidel • Shelley Mitchell • Val Muchowski • Claire Noonan • Adair Paul • Judy Pfeil • Gloria Taylor • Roz Wright Shannon Smith-Crowley, Legislative Advocate

3. Goals for this morning’s presentation Know what’s happening now in Sacramento Broad environment and details Tools to keep up to date

4. Legislative Structure Two houses – Assembly (80) and Senate (40)

5. Term Limits Three 2-year terms in Assembly Two 4-year terms in Senate Governor – Two 4-year terms

6. 2012 Legislative Year 2nd year of 2 year session, last day of session - August 31, 2012 2,000 – 3,000 bills introduced each year

8. Backdrop NEW - open primary in June NEW - redistricting with a twist Independent Commission created boundaries Massive state budget deficit/cash flow crisis 2012 Presidential election Efforts through the country to restrict or rescind women's rights

9. Critical year for decisions to be made on Affordable Care Act implementation • Issues • Abortion • Benchmark plans/essential health benefit • Network Adequacy • Ability to access confidential services • Affordability • Supreme Court decision - California response if ACA rescinded in whole or part

10. How We Work Importance of coalitions and partners California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom League of Women Voters California NOW Commission on the Status of Women Office of Women's Health Ed Source AARP Legislative Women’s Caucus California Women Lead

11. DANGER!!! LACK OF FOCUS ON WOMEN DECREASE IN WOMEN LEGISLATORS 28.3% of California legislators are women

12. DANGER!!! Moving away from focus on women/gender issues – lawmakers thinking equity achieved? California Commission on The Status of Women Office of Women’s Health Foundations

13. Examples of lack of gender focus Research – not long ago women were thought of as just smaller men, no studies – now better understanding of heart disease and women - #1 killer of women (video link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7wmPWTnDbE)

14. Example of lack of gender focus Female crash test dummies only were included beginning in 2010 Results – Five star ratings became TWO star ratings for women

15. Example of lack of gender focus Increasing maternal mortality rates African American Women die at almost 4 times that of other groups Lack of support for women choosing to be mothers

16. Had enough?First step - Save thesevital institutions Time to take action – Fight the elimination of the California Commission on the Status of Women Fight the elimination of the California Office of Women’s Health Sign up to be a Two-Minute Activists TAKE ACTION! Action Alert: California

17. AAUW CaliforniaLegislative Agenda for 2012 • High Priority • State Budget • Education • K-12 • Community College • Higher Education • Safety Net • CalWorks • Cal Fresh • Health • Program Eligibility • Program Integrity

18. High Priority Legislation AB 1756 – Knight (Oppose) AB 2039 – Swanson (Support) AB 2330 – Olson (Oppose) SB 721 – Lowenthal (Support) SB 1193 – Steinberg (Support) SB 1345 – Evans (Support) research

19. Other bills See your bill grid To get more details go to bill tracking online – AAUW California Website Public Policy tab AAUW CA Positions on 2012 Legislation Updated on a daily basis

20. AAUW California Website Bill Tracking

21. Report

22. Bill Page

23. Want Updates on Bill Activity? SUBSCRIBE To “subscribe” to a bill go to www.leginfo.ca.gov

25. Initiatives - June

26. November 2012 Initiatives

27. Competing Initiatives for Revenues for Schools Brown/CTA Molly Munger

28. Potential November 2012 Initiatives Parental Notification of Minor’s Abortion Personhood

29. Lots to do – all hands on deck!

30. Partner With AAUW CA in Voter Education!It’s My Vote:  I Will Be Heard! Issues of importance to women – educational equity, retirement security, a fair and balanced judiciary, civil rights, workplace equity, reproductive rights, health care reform, and equal pay – are at stake each time Americans go to the ballot box. Many of these are at risk for women in the current political environment, and will be important in the 2012 election. AAUW CA has begun a Voter Education/Voter Registration Campaign to encourage women voters to get involved in the political process.

31. FUTURE ISSUES • Ongoing budget crisis • Education, • CalWORKS, • Social Services, • health • Initiative reform • Environmental toxins Keep gender focus to advance equity for women

32. Tools to stay updated AAUW California website Bill tracking - http://ct3k1.capitoltrack.com/public/publish.aspx?session=11&id=86d18572-6c2d-4694-9cb8-0ff25d633472 AAUW California Facebook page AAUW Action Alert State site - www.leginfo.ca.gov - look up and subscribe to bill changes, research laws, find your legislator

33. Other Organizations and Resources • California Budget Project - www.cbp.org • Report - Falling Behind: The Effect of the Great Recession on Women and Families • California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom - www.reproductivefreedomca.org • National Conference of State Legislators – www.ncsl.org • California Commission on the Status of Women – www.women.ca.gov • California Office of Women’s Health – www.cpdh.ca.gov/programs/owh • Federal Office of Women’s Health - http://www.womenshealth.gov/heartattack/ • Legislative Calendar - http://assembly.ca.gov/legislativedeadlines • California Women Lead – www.cawomenlead.org

34. Even More Resources • Legislative Analyst Office - www.lao.ca.gov • Secretary of State - ballot initiatives - www.sos.ca.gov • California Citizens Redistricting Commission – www.wedrawthelines.org • Ballot Initiative Strategy Center - http://www.ballot.org/

35. Insider Track • The Nooner - http://www.aroundthecapitol.com/nooner/ • Around the Capitol - http://www.aroundthecapitol.com/ • Rough & Tumble - http://www.rtumble.com/ • Capitol Weekly – www.capitolweekly.net

36. Thank you for attending! Shannon Smith-Crowley, JD, MHA Legislative Advocateshannon@partnersadvocacy.com 916.457.5217 (office)916.457.5215 (fax)916.717.4936 (mobile) 2641 Montgomery WaySacramento CA 95818-3945 www.partnersadvocacy.com

37. It’s My Vote – I Will Be Heard! • Opportunities for Branches • Help shape change through women’s vote • Outreach into community • Membership recruitment – students, faculty at partner colleges/universities, women in coalition groups • Make this election about issues important to women!

38. It’s My Vote – I Will Be Heard! • Branch Involvement • Work within your branch • Work with College/University Partners • Form Coalitions with other women’s groups • Organize candidate forums, especially where redistricting has taken place

39. It’s My Vote – I Will Be Heard! • Resources Available to Your Branch • California Secretary of State, County Elections Board – www.sos.ca.gov • AAUW CA Public Policy Committee • Websites: www.aauw-ca.org, www.aauw.org • Woman-to-Woman Voter Turnout Manual • Position Papers on Reproductive Rights, Education, Safety Net, Social Security, Safe Campuses and Communities • League of Women Voters for Candidate Forums

40. You Will Be Heard! “The Vote is the tool with which women must end all discrimination against them.” – Alice Paul